The field of the invention is illuminated commercial display devices. In particular, the invention relates to a device for the display of point of purchase objects in need of illumination, such as paint chips.
The display of stacks of cards can aid a wide variety of commercial endeavors, One example is the display and dispensation of paint chips in home decorating or home improvement stores. In order to achieve the most favorable presentation of the displayed cards, the proper lighting of the cards as part of the display is desirable. Often, in a commercial environment, achieving proper lighting of displayed samples can be difficult for a variety of reasons. For example a customer standing in front of one display or travelling within an establishment could block the light of another customer. Also, the levels of lighting available from nearby windows can change throughout the day. Further, if a customer desires to inspect an object closely, the customer himself might block light from reaching the object of interest.
For a display that can display a plurality of samples, a respective plurality of light sources can be used. However, light sources generally have limited amounts of time that they can be used before replacement is needed. In the case of displays where numerous small samples are being displayed, it can be time consuming to check and replace a large number of light sources such as bulbs or tubes. Further, the failure of a single small light element may not be readily apparent from a distance by busy salespeople or other employees responsible for maintaining the display. Also, if reconfiguration of the light source for a display having multiple light sources is desired to adjust the quantity or quality of the light produced by the light source, numerous replacements are also necessary.
Accordingly, it is desirable to have a display rack that provides the ability to control the quality and quantity of light used to display a plurality of samples. Desirably, such a display rack would have lighting elements that would be easy to maintain and replace.
One embodiment of the present invention is a display rack for displaying a displayed item having an opaque cabinet, a light source located in the opaque cabinet; and a transparent light pipe having a light accepting end and a light emitting end, connected by a light conducting body having an index of refraction that transmits light from the light accepting end to the light emitting end. A first tray has an item display portion for holding the displayed item, while a second tray has an opaque bottom wall and an opaque front portion configured to operably connect the light accepting end of the transparent light pipe to the light source and to maintain the light emitting end of the light pipe in a position where the light emitted by the light emitting end illuminates the card holding portion of the first tray.
In another embodiment of the present invention, the light source is a fluorescent bulb.
In yet another embodiment of the present invention, the light pipe is a rectangular block of polycarbonate plastic.
In still another embodiment of the present invention, the light pipe further comprises a reflector on the light emitting end of the light pipe.
In still another embodiment of the present invention, the light emitting end refracts light onto the item display portion of the first tray.
In a still further embodiment of the present invention, the second tray is shingled over the first tray.
In yet another embodiment of the present invention, the bottom wall further comprises a stop that in cooperation with the bottom wall forms a ledge.
In another embodiment, the display rack comprises a generally opaque cabinet defining a light cavity. A light providing element is located in the light cavity, and a transparent light conducting member has a light accepting end and a light emitting end that can accept light at the light accepting end, and emit the accepted light at the light emitting end. The display rack also has a first tray having a card holding portion and a second tray having an opaque light pipe supporting wall portion. The tray includes an opaque front frame portion, and maintains the transparent light pipe such that the light accepting end accepts light from the light providing element and the light emitting end of the light pipe emits light to illuminate the card holding portion the first tray.
In a still further embodiment of the present invention, the rack includes a plurality of second trays and a respective plurality of light conducting members, and the light source is an elongated light bulb, such as a fluorescent bulb, that provides light for the light conducting members of the respective trays.
In yet another embodiment of the present invention, the light pipe is a light conducting body having top and bottom surfaces and the light conducting body has an index of refraction of greater than one.
In a further embodiment, the light pipe is configured to reflect light from the light emitting end onto the card holding portion.
In still another embodiment, the light pipe is configured to refract light from the light emitting end onto the card holding portion.
In a still further embodiment, a display rack for displaying a displayed item comprises an opaque cabinet, a fluorescent light source concealed from external viewing in the opaque cabinet, and a plurality of trays. Each of the plurality of trays has an item display portion for holding the displayed item and a rectangular block of polycarbonate plastic having a light accepting end and a light emitting end, connected by a light conducting body having an index of refraction of greater than one that transmits light from the light accepting end to the light emitting end via internal reflection. Each of the trays has an opaque bottom wall and an opaque front portion configured to operably connect the light accepting end of the transparent light pipe to the light source and maintains the light emitting end of the light pipe in a position where the light emitted by the light emitting end illuminates the card holding portion of an adjacent tray, wherein the plurality of trays are arranged in a shingled arrangement.